MCAT Psychology – Correlation

In the course of gathering data in an experiment, a researcher develops the following correlation matrix:

Table 1 Correlation Matrix

Which of the following pairs of variables are most strongly correlated?

A) A, C
B) A, D
C) B, D
D) C, D

Explanation

A) A, CB) A, D
C) B, D
D) C, D

Correlation values range from +1.00 to -1.00 with +1.00 indicating perfect positive correlation and -1.00 indicating perfect negative correlation. 0.00 indicates no relationship at all. The strength of the correlation is determined by the magnitude of the correlation coefficient value, not its sign. Among the choices given, variables A and D have the strongest correlation from the data in the table.